Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-13

taught him the folly OF uselessly exposing
the lives OF men for whom he was respon-
sIDie, as he would have done had be pltted
sixty soldiers against 400 of w2rllKe,
desperate and determined tribe OF lndl-
ans, such as the COmanches we're known
10 be. Carson, OF course, was :rrespon-
siblr, and his action was characteristic,
taking all chances, and trusting to his
Indian knowledge 10 beat the savages al
their own game. We call his ride reck-
less. but at the same time admire the
courage that prompted it.
"They rode all next day and night,
reaching the Indian village little alter
daylight, but unfortunately were d1scoN-
cred by the COmanches, so that the Indl-
ans had time to make break, and seve-
raj OF them got into the ravines and brush.
CarsOn's party went to work with viii,
killing indIscriminately bucks, squaWs
and papooses. One of the avengers, Doc
Reed, singled out the Indian VINO was
dragging off the captive, Mrs. White, by
the HAIR of the head, in direction dlter-
ent from that the other redskins were TAX
ing, thinking, doubtless, be might be able
to escape unseen with his victim. 1ne
hapless woman was stripped of all cloth
ing except skirt and cotton shawl,
and her body was terribly bruised as well
as blistered by sun burns. Completely at
the mercy of the brawny savage, she,
on hearing the yell of the white men.
as they dashed into the attack, fell
down and was being dragged of In the
manner described. When Reed dlscov-
cred tue situation, he wheeled his
horse and spurred him toward the Indian,
VINO shot an arrow into the feshy part of
the riders back as his horse, being
somewhat unmanageable, passed him.
But refining him up finally, and just as
the COmanche was about to let slip anoth-
err arrow at him, Reed drew steady bead
on him with large Colts revolver,
and, uttering piercing death yell, the
savage fell to the ground with bull
let in his brain. Reed told me the Indians
yell rang in his ears for months after
ward. His killing the Comanche, how
ever, prompt as it was, did not, untortu-
nately save the captive Mrs. White.
| Hastily diSmounting Reed ran
to where she lay, only to find her
gasping in death, her exposed bosom
pierced by several arrows. A more pitt
able sight had never been looked on in
all the horrId scenes of Indian warfare.
Both the servant girl and the child were
carried off by some indians who were
fortunate enough to escape, and were
found the year following in the hands of
friendly tribe who mad purchased them
| from the COmanches and brought them
to trading post on the Red river. Mrs.
White was buried near the place where
che died, CarsOn's men erecting cairn
over the grave TO prevent the wolves and
coyotes from deVouring the remains.
That was a terrible fight. When Reed
drew the arrow from his back, after find
ing the woman he had periled his
lite to rescue was past all hope,
he called to his comrades TO
give up the chase of the flying
Indians. Some of them returned with
bloody hands full of redskins scalps.
Many of Carson's men were half-breeds-
cross between French and Indians
and quite as savage as the Indians they
warred against, taking also the same
pleasure in CHASTITY trophies as their en-
emies did. Some of the Camanche
squaws threw their papooses into the
ravines and brush, hoptngto make their
escape and. to return and regain their Off
| spring;e but the haIf-breeds caught these
| papooses up by the heels and dasned their
brains out against the stones, They con-
sldered this fnercltul act, in way,
| The children would have starved to death
or been eaten by the coyotes, SO they
concluded it was better TO put them out
of misery at once. Or, perhaps,
| they thought with the old Indian fighter,
| Gen. Kearny, who favored policy of eX-
| termination. w hen asked as to the dis
| position, OF some papOoses taken in a
rancheria, he answered sententiousiy but
with great significance, 'Nits make Ece.'
Such was the daring but unsuccessful at
tempt by Carson to rescue the white cap
tlves. The affair is still fresh in the
memory of old men, VINO can vouch for
the truthtulness of the story of Kit Car
sons ride and the vengeance he took on
the COmanches. It is only one of thousands
of instances of Carson's voluntary brave
attempts to aid those whose ineXperience
or misfortune had brought them into tn c
power of the merciless savage"